Philadelphia Eagles: What Michael Vick Should Have Learned from Vince Young

By now we all know Vince Young struggled against the New York Giants Sunday night.

Oddly enough, Michael Vick should have learned a valuable lesson from Young.

No, I'm not going to talking about something Vick learned not to do. Young did this one thing very well and if Vick picked up on it, he will avoid injuries and become a better quarterback.

What is this groundbreaking, incredibly insightful observation? Young trusted the offensive line.

It seems simple, but it is something Vick has struggled with recently.

I was flipping through the TV in the Philadelphia area last week and I caught Hall of Fame writer Ray Didinger and former player Brian Baldinger breaking down some film involving Vick's play against the Arizona Cardinals.

They showed Vick's false perception of pressure coming from a three-man pass rush. Instead of standing in the pocket, reading the defense and hitting an open receiver, he decided to break the pocket, run for about seven yards and take unnecessary hits.

Young did the exact opposite against the Giants. He routinely held his ground in the pocket and trusted his offensive linemen.

Even though Young was not able to hit his receivers on a consistent basis by staying in the pocket, he was able to avoid excessive hits and potential injuries.

The comfort of feeling safe in the pocket also allowed Young to make plays in the fourth quarter. He knew his line was going to protect him because they did it all game. Instead of worrying about the pass rush, Young kept his eyes downfield and got into a groove with his receivers.

Vick has to keep this in mind if he is healthy enough to play against New England Thanksgiving weekend.

The Patriots have a makeshift secondary and are dying to get exposed. Fortunately for them, Mark Sanchez and Tyler Palko were woefully inept over the last two weeks.

Vick could follow in their footsteps if he decides to take off and run too often. Or he could trust the line and pick the Pats apart like Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger.